Seared salmon with sauce messine and broccoli
Sauce messine is a lovely herby creamy traditional French sauce that goes wonderfully with fish. You could use either salmon or sea trout for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 x 250g/9oz fillets salmon, skin-on
- 100g/3½oz salted butter
- 1–2 banana shallots, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chervil
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- 2 large free-range egg yolks
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 1 bunch purple sprouting broccoli or Tenderstem broccoli
- dash olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C F/Gas 7.
Cut the fish fillets into squares so that it will cook evenly – the trimmings can be set aside for another recipe, such as salmon rillettes.
Heat the butter in a saucepan over a low heat and gently cook the shallots until softened. Whisk in the herbs, mustard, cream, egg yolks and cayenne pepper and gently simmer until it thickens into a sauce resembling a savoury custard. Pour in the lemon juice and keep warm.
Meanwhile, steam the broccoli for about 5 minutes, then keep warm.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan, and fry the salmon. skin-side down, for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to the preheated oven for around 3–5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
Serve the fish with the sauce and steamed broccoli.